Bernadette Simpson's Blog, page 13
April 9, 2010
An ABC Electronic Escapade through Egypt
An ABC Escapade through Egypt is now available as an eBook!
It can be purchased and downloaded for
Enjoy the escapade!
April 5, 2010
C: Colored Eggs for S: Sham el Nessim
Okay, so they're not the most spring-colored eggs, but I do think they match our rocky Sinai mountains! And Sham el Nessim is not complete without a basket of colorful eggs. Today in Egypt, the Monday after Coptic Christian Easter, the country celebrates Sham el Nessim, literally meaning "sniff the breeze". This spring festival dates back to the time of the pharaohs but is still celebrated as a national holiday by both Muslims and Christians. Today, Egyptians will spend the day outside in...
April 2, 2010
Q: Quilters
One of the friendly quilters working on Shar-reh il Khy-ya-mayya, or Tentmakers' Street, who generously posed for pictures for my book. I dream of one day ordering one of his gorgeous colorful quilts for my bed!
You can learn more about this traditional craft by reading my book or visiting my website.
March 24, 2010
F: Feluka
The perfect way to spend a spring afternoon….sailing down the Nile on a feluka! The sailboats can be rented by the hour or even by the day. This one left from the docks near the entrance to Ma'adi on the Corniche. Others leave from the docks near the major hotels in downtown Cairo. Felukat are also popular with tourists in Aswan and Luxor.
March 16, 2010
C: Camels
More camels!
These two baby camels were seen a few years ago wandering along the Dahab-Sharm road. It must be that time of the year because I saw several more young camels on my drive to Sharm last week. (Unfortunately I couldn't stop for photos because the sides of the road are still flood-damaged!)
Hopefully they'll look both ways before crossing the street! 
March 9, 2010
O: Oleander
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a very popular decorative plants for both private and public gardens in Egypt. The flowers grow in a range of colors – pink, white, yellow, rose, or deep red. Here in Dahab it is one of the only plants grown alongside streets because the wandering goats, camels, and sheep won't devour them like they would anything else. That's because all parts of the oleander bush are poisonous! So if you choose to grow this is in your garden, do so with care – especially if...
March 1, 2010
T: Tea
T is for Tea – The National Drink of Egypt!
Providing a cup of tea, called shay in Arabic, to visitors is pretty much mandatory here in Egypt. Sometimes served with fresh mint leaves, always served with plenty of sugar.
February 20, 2010
S: Spices
S is for Spices
Bored as I waited my turn for the ATM, I decided of course to play with my camera! These spices were on sale along the boardwalk in Masbat, Dahab. This is a pretty typical looking spice/souvenir shop set up in the tourist areas of Sinai and around Egypt. Many of the spices and other natural items are on display in large sacs or wooden pots – karkade, cinnamon, sage, luffahs and more! Learn more about sacs of savory spices in my book or on my website.
February 10, 2010
H: Harankush
Egyptians enjoy snacking on this tangy, marble-sized fruit – and their season is just beginning. Harankush is the fruit of Physalis peruviana. The plant is native to Central and South America but has been grown in Egypt for decades. Other names for the fruit include cape gooseberries, golden berries, and ground cherries – to name a few. The picture above is what the fruits look like before their papery husks have been removed. It takes awhile to remove them all, but the reward of a bowl of ...
February 4, 2010
A: Admiring Amazing Athletes
A is for Admiring Amazing Athletes
In honor of Egypt's national football (soccer) team and their recent win in the Africa Cup of Nations, I thought I'd post some photos from the 2006 African Cup that was hosted by Egypt. The Pharaohs won that year, too. In fact, this is their third consecutive win! The boys in this photo, though, are admiring athletes from other African nations. My husband and I attended a game between Ghana and Senegal, played in the Port Said Stadium.
Learn more about...
